What would you do if you lost all your possessions?

Basically been there, done that.

I believe I covered my experiences in the early posts of this blog so I will go over it again in a condensed manner. Of course you could go back and look at those earlier posts if you’d prefer.

I lost my job in early 2012. After pondering my options and a lot of deliberation in my mind, the writing was on the wall. Due to the economy I was losing my house and all of the money I had put into it. I ended up deciding to leave Colorado and head to Washington state.

To do so I got rid of most everything in my house; many of those possessions that Americans are subconsciously felt compelled to acquire because we were making good money…all gone. I basically had nothing.

And it felt great!

My life was lightened up, and the clutter was gone – both physically and mentally. I had a friend ask me how I got through it. I said “Well, what’s my choices? I can whine about the situation or I adapt and make the situation better for me.”. I adapted to the situation and I feel I thrived afterwards.

As I was going through things I found stuff that had been boxed up or stashed away for years. Why replace it? I didn’t even remember I had some of it!

Other than losing my house, which was a big part of my retirement plan, the rest was only stuff. It could all be replaced, but as the last 11 years have come and gone I have replaced very little.

Losing most everything is not the end of the world…but it can be if YOU let it be. Life is not a plan; it’s a series of random events you have little control of. Yeah, you can TRY to steer things in a direction but it’s always a variable minute by minute. You have to adapt and make a situation work for you.

Possessions are not important and can be replaced. But, living my life lighter the last 11 years has been amazing and rewarding. It’s important to remember that no matter what you have to take care of yourself and your needs.

Life goes on.